View source for United Torah Judaism


'''United Torah Judaism''' , is a [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]], religious conservative<ref name=":0">{{cite web |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Politics/UTJ.html |title=Israel Political Parties: United Torah Judaism |author=<!--Not stated--> |publisher=Jewish Virtual Library |access-date=9 March 2019}}</ref> political alliance in Israel. The alliance, consisting of [[Agudat Yisrael]] and [[Degel HaTorah]], was first formed in 1992, in order to maximize Ashkenazi [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]] representation in the [[Knesset]]. Despite the alliance splitting in 2004 over rabbinical differences, the parties reconciled in [[2006 Israeli legislative election|2006]], in order to prevent vote wasting. In [[April 2019 Israeli legislative election|April 2019]], the party achieved its highest number of seats ever, receiving eight seats. It is part of the so called [[National camp]].

Unlike similar religiously-oriented parties like [[Shas]], [[The Jewish Home]], [[Tkuma (political party)|Tkuma]], and [[Noam (political party)|Noam]], UTJ is [[Non-Zionism#Haredi non-Zionism|non-Zionist]]. Unlike some other Haredim, the party is notable for its usage of technology and electronic communication.<ref name="SignOTheTimes">{{cite news|last=Kershner|first=Isabel|date=20 April 2019|title=Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Parties Embrace Technology and Emerge Stronger|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/20/world/middleeast/israel-ultra-orthodox-technology.html|access-date=20 April 2019}}</ref>
== Structure and constituency ==
UTJ has always been a coalition of two individual parties, choosing to take advantage of Israeli election law in order to maximize the number of seats it can gain in the Knesset (and thus maximize its influence):
* The [[Agudat Yisrael]] ("Union of Israel") party that is guided by the followers of [[Hasidic Judaism|Hasidism]] in Israel, and also consisting of [[Ashkenazi Jews]]. The leading members of this party are the followers of the [[Ger (Hasidic dynasty)|Ger]], [[Vizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty)|Vizhnitz]], and [[Belz (Hasidic dynasty)|Belz]] Hasidim.
* The [[Degel HaTorah]] ("Banner of the [[Torah]]") party that is guided by the rabbinic heads (usually the leading [[rosh yeshiva]]s ("deans") of the [[Lithuanian Jews|Lithuanian]] yeshivas) of non-Hasidic [[Haredi Judaism|Haredi]] Ashkenazi Jews.

The Agudat Yisrael faction takes its directions from the Hasidic [[rebbe]]s of [[Ger (Hasidic dynasty)|Ger]] (Rabbi [[Yaakov Aryeh Alter]]), [[Vizhnitz (Hasidic dynasty)|Vizhnitz]] (Rabbi [[Yisroel Hager]]), and [[Belz (Hasidic dynasty)|Belz]] (Rabbi [[Yissachar Dov Rokeach (fifth Belzer rebbe)|Yissachar Dov Rokeach]]). Policy decisions are also weighed and decided by a [[Moetzes Gedolei HaTorah]] ("Council of Torah Sages"), a council of communal rabbis, made up of mostly senior and elderly [[rebbe]]s.

Degel HaTorah's pre-eminent sages are Rabbi [[Chaim Kanievsky]] and Rabbi [[Gershon Edelstein]], of [[Bnei Brak]]. Policy decisions are also weighed and decided by their own "Moetzes" (Council) of experienced communal rabbis, made up of mostly senior and elderly [[rosh yeshiva]]s.


==Notes==
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